Online sales, access-controlled gates hurting business, say Kashmiri shawl sellers

Online sales, access-controlled gates hurting business, say Kashmiri shawl sellers

Subject: Geography

Section: Economy Geography

Context: Online shopping has allowed people to buy shawls, pherans, and other items from Kashmir throughout the year and at more affordable prices

Pashmina Shawls:

• Pashmina is known world over as cashmere wool, it comes from a special goat (Capra hircus) living at an altitude of 12000 to 14000 ft.
• Shawls are produced by two techniques, loom woven or kani shawls and the needle embroidered or sozni shawls.
• Pashmina Shawls are GI certified.
• The Kani shawl, which has a Geographical Indication tag, now faces competition from cheaper machine-made shawls from Punjab.
• Kani Shawl weaving originated in Kanihamal area of Kashmir valley

Kufic calligraphy:

• Calligraphy is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument.
• Kufic is the oldest calligraphic form of the various Arabic scripts.
• Arabic calligraphy became one of the most important branches of Islamic Art.
• The name of the script derives from Kufa, a city in southern Iraq which was considered as an intellectual center within the early Islamic period.